Loyalty Scheme:

A personal travel guide to Sicily

Christopher Carson has spent many years promoting and selling some of the best Italian wines on the UK market and Sicily remains one of his favourite spots. Here CellarVie Wines’ Managing Director gives an insight into some of the best places to visit on this beautifully iconic Italian island...

“If you are visiting Palermo, the Cathedral is a must, as is the Norman Church of San Giovanni. Steeped in history, just walking around the old town and looking at the architecture is mind blowing, you have to have a peep into every church – there are simply too many to mention.

“In term of restaurants look out for S. Andre (real Sicilian cuisine with fresh produce) in Piazza S. Andre; La Scuderia (considered to be one of the best restaurants and slightly more formal if there is such a thing in Sicily), Viale del Fante 9 and if you want to go out of town for the evening and be by the sea, try the Charleston restaurant (fresh, fresh seafood in the village of Mondello – 10km from the centre and to the north of the city is great).

“A town to visit is Monreale, which is 8km to the south west of Palermo, perched at 300 metres above sea level overlooking the city, the sea and the valleys. The Cathedral here is well worth a visit; the mosaic of Christ has to be one of the best examples of this form of art anywhere in the World. After which try the Dietro l’Angolo restaurant at Piave, 5, just around the corner from the Cathedral – wonderful pastas and meats!

“Etna, the volcanic mountain, is certainly worth a day’s detour but be careful - it erupted again very recently; albeit in a gentle manner. Here I would suggest a packed lunch and a deserted spot where you can almost pretend you are on the moon!

“Syracuse is situated in the south eastern corner of Sicily and miles away from Palermo, but it is certainly worth the journey. If you like history and Mediterranean in particular, as well as architecture, this is a must. Built by the Greeks but occupied by many since, it is a beautiful oasis that turns the clock back and opens doors to a bygone era. The Greek Theatre cannot be missed and if you are eating, try the Don Camillo, Via della Maestranza 96, if you want to celebrate, or just opt for any one of the little restaurants in back streets and squares all offering wonderful value for money.

“Taormina is one of the most popular places because of the famous Greek theatre and its breath-taking views over the sea, with Etna in the distance and the perennially beautiful sunsets! It’s a busy place with many tourist shops and restaurants with magnificent views and beaches, but if you like seafood you have to go to Gran Duca, Corso Umberto, 172.

“The town of Agrigento for temples and Roman buildings is fabulous - almost every time you go round the next corner there is a temple or roman dwelling. Situated on the south coast it is a good day’s excursion if you are based in Palermo, Catania or Taormina.”

Have you been to Sicily? Can you recommend any special spots that you found whilst you were there?

BBQ Spatchcock Piri-Piri Chicken

Summer has come to a close and autumn is well and truly on its way. Blustering winds, cooler temperatures and swiftly shortening days mean it will soon be time to wrap up warm and to make the most of the wonderful autumn produce on offer. Time to say goodbye to those fresh, summer whites and replace them with the warmer, more robust reds frequently associated with colder temperatures.

26.08.15

What to drink with Fish Pie?

Fish Pie is a quintessentially British recipe. Easy to make and absolutely delicious, it is also a great dinner party dish - with a limited amount of last minute preparations needed it’s a winner in my book! However, where do you start when matching a fish pie with wine?

24.07.15

Five Ways to Open a Bottle of Wine Without a Corkscrew

For that moment when you find yourself without a corkscrew and unable to open that bottle of wine; here are five ways to open a bottle of wine without a corkscrew. Obviously, if you do have a corkscrew to hand, it is a lot easier to go down the more traditional route…

16.10.14

Nine Ways to Reuse Your Wine Corks

Unless you live in California, where there is an official wine cork recycling program, take inspiration from these ideas and drink your wine guilt-free, knowing you can now recycle both bottle and cork. Alternatively, for those of us who are less environmentally inclined, some of these aesthetically pleasing creations make for great centre pieces…how about that for an alternative motive?

07.09.12

Seven Deadly Glasses by Kacper Hamilton

While by no means new, CellarVie Wines could only marvel at the creative brilliance of London-based designer Kacper Hamilton and his marvellous ‘Seven Deadly Glasses’. Whilst floating aimlessly on the worldwide web during our lunch hour we stumbled upon these beautiful wine glasses, inspired of course by the seven deadly sins; lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

25.09.14

Luke Donald: Renaissance Man

Some of the world’s finest golfers have long augmented their iron work with the wine business but few have done so with as much vigour and success as Luke Donald. Joining an impressive number of golf-and-grape connoisseurs – most notably Ernie Els, Greg Norman, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus - the supremely elegant Luke Donald Collection, which includes a beautifully handcrafted Bordeaux blend made in Napa Valley’s most prestigious vineyards, has its origins in a longstanding friendship between the former world number one and Bill Terlato, President and CEO of Terlato Wines International.

As the days shorten and the weather shows her craggy face, it’s time to consider putting away those summer whites and barbecue rosés and cosying up to wines that bridge the gap between the lighter styles synonymous with summer and the ...read more

Native to the Loire Valley or an area commonly called Pineau de la Loire and grown there for over 1,000 years, Chenin Blanc is amongst the world’s most versatile grape varieties that thrives in the New World regions of South Africa, ...read more

Our Spirit of the Month for August is Lazzaroni Amaretto 1851 and although this week’s Cocktail of the Week is perhaps more of a shot or a shooter; it is no less enjoyable for it! So without further ado here is a recipe for the Sicilian ...read more

They are not household names like their Piedmont or Tuscan cousins, but the wines of Southern Italy are bold, full-bodied, and satisfying. Southern Italy has been producing wine for over 4000 years. The wine business here was already ...read more

While Southern Italy had until recently endured a malaise within the winemaking world before its welcome revival, the region has remained a perpetual hotspot for visitors - albeit perhaps less busy than the more saturated north - ...read more

The centre of Italy is perhaps the gastronomic heart of Italy, after all some of the country's most famous ingredients come from the region of Emilia Romagna and its environs. Think balsamic vinegar, Parmesan cheese, Parma ham and ...read more

Home to the opulent and stunningly beautiful Tuscany, Central Italy is responsible for the production of perhaps the most famous Italian red wine - Chianti. The remarkable beauty of places such as Rome, Pisa and Florence make it Italy’s ...read more

The great thing about Italian food is that no matter the weather you can inject a little bit of sunshine into your menu. Moving into winter means rich stews and soups, spaghetti, succulent lamb and parmesan encrusted chicken breasts as ...read more